Hannah Storm, Adam Schefter and The Mangini High Five: A Truth About NFL Coaches

Was Hannah Storm THAT happy to see Eric Mangini go?Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Hannah Storm—we had no idea you were a closet, disgruntled Cleveland Browns fan.

You too, Adam Schefter.

In case you missed it, Storm and Schefter threw all journalistic protocol under the bus during an ESPN segment that told the world that the Brownies had indeed dropped the ax on Eric Mangini.

There's the lovely Hannah, inciting this incident by putting up here hand, basically asking for a high-five from Schefter.

What was Schefter to do, leave her hanging there with her hand in the air? He obliged and there you had it, two news "commentators" throwing their hats into the dog pound and giving everyone the impression that they were among the unhappy season ticket holders in fair Cleveland.

Then, as fast as it happened, there was major back-peddling, as if yes, some responsible producer of the show screamed into their ear-phones: "What the f----k are you two doing?"

The fair Hannah immediately starts her version of the Teabury Shuffle: "Not to make light of the fact that obviously someone lost their job..." and her cohort in crime, Mr. Schefter chips in with, "Very good point and the families that are affected..."

Really now, why would Hannah be happy about the departure of Man-genius?

This is why they always make the announcement in press boxes informing the gathered media members that "cheering is not allowed."

There is decorum, but apparently not on some ESPN sets.

This broadcast shenanigan by Hannah and her little buddy Adam is just a microcosm what the truth about life as an NFL coach.

NFL—as in Not For Long. It's a fact of life for players and coaches.

Sure there are organizations that hate turnover at the top. Pittsburgh is the perfect example.

Then there is the chaos of an organization like the Washington Redskins and owner Dan Snyder, who can't seem to get it right with either players or coaches.

It is, on a good day, a mad, mad world in the National Football League.

The compensation for the insanity of it all is big money. No one really has to feel sorry for the head coaches who are terminated. Just look at former Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden—the Glazer clan is still paying him to the tune of $6 million a year.

Think about that for a moment. The working population of the United States would love to make $6 million over 30 years. If you earn $50,000 a year, it would take you 20 years to make $1 million.

So the truth about NFL coaches is although they get canned, they are given extraordinary financial compensation for the horror of those two words—"You're fired!"

A second truth is that NFL coaches need thick skin. It is not a post for the sensitive. When fans pile on, they really pile on, and it's not just the NFL. College fans can be just as cruel, if not worse.

The third truth is that NFL coaches always need a plan "B," and that plan for most has become the very studios inhabited by Storm and Schefter at the evil empire of Bristol. Yes, ESPN has become the happy hunting ground for the broken toys known as fired NFL coaches.

Yes, the truth is there is life after coaching and a lot of life during a coaching stint.

Some guys last a long time, some don't. It's a fast-moving carousel and some guys are smart enough to wear the seat belt that is a winning record and some simply fall off way too fast.